Breathing
by Mykonos
Summary: Song fic! Trunks has killed Seventeen. Can, or will, Eighteen ever forgive him? Read, review, and (a' course) enjoy!


Breathing  
Rating: PG  
Written: Spring of 2002  
Category: You all know me too well - romance and song! plus drama  
Summary: Trunks has returned from the past, and killed Seventeen. Even though he spared her life, can (or will) Eighteen ever forgive him?  
Disclaimer: Don't own the charas or the song! ::cries::  
Author's Note: This may not be my best work. It may be my worst. But enjoy it anyway for gosh sakes!  
Feedback: I'll love ya forever! Megamoooooo@aol.com  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Breathing  
By: Mykonos  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
::i'm finding my way back to sanity again::  
  
My eyes fluttered open and the first thought that ran through my mind was "it was a dream, it was all a dream. The brat really didn't kill Seventeen; he's still alive." Of course I hadn't seen my surroundings yet.  
  
Upon closer inspection, I realized that I wasn't really at home.  
  
Which meant Seventeen really was dead.  
  
I was lying in a temporary bed in a lab. A familiar blue-haired woman was sitting in a chair with her back towards me typing busily away at her computer.  
  
I wondered how long I had been asleep - or rather been lying there unconscious. My mind had involuntarily taken a flashback to last time I was awake.  
  
The little brat (whom actually wasn't so little anymore) had returned from his visit to the past. His energy level and strength had jumped up dramatically since our last encounter. Then, he simply killed Seventeen. My brother.  
  
A whimper escaped my throat interrupting my reverie. Bulma's was also interrupted by it. She turned around and smiled kindly. "Oh, you're awake."  
  
::though i don't really know what i'm gonna do when i get there::  
  
"Wh-where am I?" I asked not knowing how to respond. Uncertain around a human, there's a first time for everything.  
  
"Capsule Corp, dear. How are you feeling now? You have been asleep for a couple of days now. Trunks was worried about you. He thought you'd slipped into a coma."  
  
Asleep for a couple days, that answers my first question. "I'm . . fine, thanks." Now for my next, why am I alive and here?  
  
::spin around one more time::  
  
"Well, that's good to hear you're ok. Trunks will be glad to hear that, I'll go let him know."  
  
She got up and left the room. I took a deep sigh and moved to the edge of the bed, allowing my legs to swing.  
  
::and gracefully fall back into the arms of grace::  
  
I heard whispering in the next room, so naturally, my ears perked up.  
  
::i'm hanging on every word you say::  
  
"All right, all right Trunks. She can stay. I just don't know why you care so much." She laughed quietly but good-heartedly.  
  
"Thanks mom!" He walked into the room with an oh-so-slight spring in his step.  
  
Trying to smother his cute, goofy grin, he asked "How are you doing?"  
  
::even if you don't want to speak tonight, that's all right, all right with me::  
  
I glanced briefly at my folded hands, then lifted my gaze to his bright, blue eyes. Remembering he killed my brother, I changed my gaze to a glare.  
  
His grin faded at the lack of response, and the icy glare. "Mom said you were doing fine." The insane amount of giddiness that lit up his face a few moments ago was gone. He glanced at his watch. "It's late in the afternoon, would you like something to eat?"  
  
I slowly shook my head. "Oh ok, well, if you need anything-just call." I watched him leave the room and carefully close the door.  
  
::i want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door and listen to you breathing::  
  
My eyelids felt heavy, so using my arm as an extra pillow, I cried myself lightly to sleep.  
  
::is where i want to be::  
  
It was late at night when I woke up, and not knowing what to do, I got up and wondered around the building.  
  
A faint light was coming out of a room down the hall, so out of curiosity I took a peak.  
  
::i am looking past the shadows in my mind::  
  
The kid was clicking away on his computer. He must have heard the door squeak because he looked up and turned around.  
  
"Eighteen, you're awake."  
  
"You're observant." I tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear.  
  
"Is there anything you need?"  
  
"Some new clothes." I spread out my arms to off my torn clothes.  
  
"We can go get some new ones tomorrow."  
  
My arms dropped to my side. "We?" I felt my eyebrow arch up. He nodded. I figured he was just trying to be nice. After all, he *did* kill my brother. "Fine" was followed by a heavy sigh.  
  
"Great, then I can also pick up some groceries for mom"  
  
"Yeah, great." Came my sarcastic reply as I turned around closing the door behind me. The clicking of the keyboard was heard through the solid oak door earned a smile from me.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
"Eighteen! Breakfast!" Bulma's voice cheerfully sang through the door. She sounded like she was my mother.  
  
That's creepy.  
  
"Ok!" I made my voice sing back. 'Whee, I get to go shopping with the kid today' I thought and rolled my eyes. I figured that I should try to have fun today, after all it seems like I'll be making the best of a bad situation a lot. Like for the rest of the kid's life.  
  
Three hours and thirty-six outfits later, I had, well the kids had bought almost everything the tiny store had left. Can I help the fact that I look gorgeous in everything? And the kid seemed to think so too. As he was paying for everything, for the first time, I was able to study him.  
  
I've seen a lot of guys in my life and Trunks was one of the few, good-looking ones. Who could hate those expressful blue eyes?  
  
::into the truth::  
  
Quick, hit me. Did *I* just say that?!  
  
No, I am not falling for the kid. No, I can't. Can't, can't, can't. Remember Eighteen, he killed your brother. You can't fall for him.  
  
::and i'm trying to identify the voices in my head::  
  
Luckily I can keep my cool whenever I feel like it, so the kid didn't see this inner battle raging on.  
  
A sarcastic smile habitually pops up on my face as he glanced over at me. A smile couldn't help the fact I had been gazing at him, chin resting on hand.  
  
Seventeen would be so disappointed if he saw the way I was acting. So ditzy. Shudder. Wait, if Seventeen could this, he would be alive, and none of this would've happened.  
  
Damn kid.  
  
I was trying on some of my new outfits and just for my amusement, modeling them for the kid.  
  
Every time he would remark, I would coolly reply with "you killed my brother," curtsey, and go back into my room. I guess it was just a way to lay on a small amount of guilt.  
  
Not enough though, I would still cry myself to sleep every night.  
  
::God, which one is you::  
  
After a month or so I felt empty. Like something was missing. I didn't ache for my brother anymore, I got over that after a week or so. Still, I walked around with this empty feeling in my chest. A feeling that went away momentarily when a certain "how are you?" was asked by a certain lavender-haired boy.  
  
Remember: I'm not falling for the boy. I guess I just liked to know *someone* cares.  
  
Even if that certain person killed my brother.  
  
As I glance over at Trunks, for whatever reason, there was this nagging feeling to be nicer to the boy. It was like I had a conscience. I didn't like the feeling, so I did the only thing I could think of.  
  
::let me feel one more time what it feels like to feel::  
  
I started being nicer to the boy. I guess doing that was a big mistake, for my heart had started to open up.  
  
::and break these calluses off of me one more time::  
  
I didn't recognize myself for an unaccountable amount of time. The android who was being polite, who was clearing away dishes after meals, who was working on technology stuff with Bulma and Trunks.   
  
It was scary. Not only my behavior, but how much influence one being can have on your personality.  
  
Over a year after the death of my brother, I discovered how much of a quiet, modest person I had become.  
  
Even though I realized how horrible our past actions were, I missed Seventeen. He was, after all, my brother.  
  
In a small graveyard, I had placed a little memorial in an overlooked corner. Visiting it gave me comfort when a tinge went through my heart.  
  
One day, it really helped. I had found a picture of the two of us in our happier days. My eyes welled up and I ran to the graveyard, then threw myself down before the humble memorial.  
  
::i'm hanging on every word you say::  
  
"Oh Seventeen." I cried out  
  
A whimper floated over the tombstones, but it wasn't my own. Just down a way, next to a willow tree was a figure. "Gohan. ." came over from it.  
  
It hit me. A violent slap in the face. I had killed the kid's best friend in the world. He killed mine. Yet, he had been so kind and loving to me. Why couldn't I do the same?!  
  
Everything burst out of me. I cried harder than ever before. I was ready to kill myself.  
  
"Eighteen?"  
  
"Go away!" I yelled. Trunks couldn't see me like this.  
  
::and even if you don't want to speak tonight::  
  
"What's wrong?" His voice panicked. He could tell this wasn't about my brother.  
  
I pivoted around, so I was kneeling and leaning my forehead against his legs, and continued sobbing.  
  
"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed.  
  
::that's all right, all right with me::  
  
"About what?" His eyebrows shot up.  
  
"Everything!" He reached down and pulled me up, so that I was at eye level. He pulled down my hands and kept them in his own.  
  
"Eighteen" he gently whispered. "Don't worry about it. It's fine."  
  
"But. . why?" came my meek reply. Nothing but very few tear drops rolling down my cheek remained of the earlier outburst.  
  
"Love is forgiving" He said. He smiled as if he had been waiting to say that forever,  
  
"What?" sounded more like a whimper. Then I realized over the confession, he pulled me into a hug, and I was hugging back.  
  
::cause i want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door::  
  
"Surely you've been able to figure it out by now, Eighteen. I love you." My breath stopped short, my heart slowed down to a pace where it might not have been beating at all.  
  
::and listen to you breathing::  
  
I started crying again, I don't know why. Perhaps it was because that empty space in my heart was finally filled. No matter what the reason was, he just embraced me more.  
  
::is where i wanna be:: 


End file.
